Australia to Expand Work and Travel Program.

• Author: Buchholz, Katharina

Byline: Katharina Buchholz

The Australian Work and Travel Program, which enables young people from different countries to work temporarily in Australia, will be expanded in the coming years to include, among others, India, Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines.

The Australian government citied the ongoing labor crunch in rural Australia for the move. Despite the number of working holiday-makers rising by 20 percent in 2018 alone, reaching 43,000 people, problems for businesses in rural Australia to fill positions persist. While the young workers can choose any field during their stay, work in rural areas and in the agricultural industries is incentivized.

The scheme known as work and travel is actually two programs. Subclass 417 (working holiday) visas were first given out in 1975, then only...